“The matter is as long as The Wall and as deep
as seven wells,” grumbled Sheng-yin, “and
the Hoang Ho in flood is limpid by its side.
Proclamations were sent forth, yet none appeared, and
they entrusted with their wide disposal have a dragon-story
of a shining lordly youth who ever followed in their
steps. . . . Thus in a manner of expressing it,
the spirit—­”

“Sheng-yin,” said Lao Ting, with courteous
firmness, yet so moving the door so that while he
passed in the former person remained outside, “you
have sought, at the expenditure of thirty-seven taels
five hundred cash, to deflect Destiny from her appointed
line. The result has been lamentable to all—­or
nearly all—­concerned. The lawless
effort must not be repeated, for when heaven itself
goes out of its way to set a correcting omen in the
sky, who dare disobey?”

When the list and order of the competition was proclaimed,
the name of Wang-san stood at the very head and that
of Yin Ho was next. Lao Ting was the very last
of those who were successful; Sheng-yin was the next,
and was thus the first of those who were unsuccessful.
It was as much as the youth had secretly dared to
hope, and much better than he had generally feared.
In Sheng-yin’s case, however, it was infinitely
worse than he had ever contemplated. Regarding
Lao Ting as the cause of his disgrace he planned a
sordid revenge. Waiting until night had fallen
he sought the student’s door-step and there took
a potent drug, laying upon his ghost a strict injunction
to devote itself to haunting and thwarting the ambitions
of the one who dwelt within. But even in this
he was inept, for the poison was less speedy than he
thought, and Lao Ting returned in time to convey him
to another door.

On the strength of his degree Lao Ting found no difficulty
in earning a meagre competence by instructing others
who wished to follow in his footsteps. He was
also now free to compete for the next degree, where
success would bring him higher honour and a slightly
less meagre competence. In the meanwhile he married
Hoa-mi, being able to display thirty-seven taels and
nearly five hundred cash towards that end. Ultimately
he rose to a position of remunerative ease, but it
is understood that he attained this more by a habit
of acting as the necessities of the moment required
than by his literary achievements.

Over the door of his country residence in the days
of his profusion he caused the image of a luminous
insect to be depicted, and he engraved its semblance
on his seal. He would also have added the presentment
of a water-buffalo, but Hoa-mi deemed this inexpedient.

CHAPTER VI

The High-minded Strategy
of the Amiable Hwa-mei

Warned by the mischance attending his previous meeting
with Hwa-mei, Kai Lung sought the walled enclosure
at the earliest moment of his permitted freedom, and
secreting himself among the interlacing growth he
anxiously awaited the maiden’s coming.